I am sure that most of you have heard of so called four noble truths in Buddhism. The first noble truth is that life is suffering. Also, the Gnostics believe that life is suffering. On a Gnostic website I read an argument that says that we have to kill a life in order to feed ourselves. Even plants are life, hence the imperfection of this life.

I have been thinking tonight of “ No expectations, no disappointments” attitude.

A little fun here. I like to look at the language behind certain 'truths'. Consider this context: 'suffer' = so-far. So-far (suffer) is a reference to the experiential journey of a human lifetime and its extension from our Home, our Origin, our Source Being. A human lifetime is so-far from Home or Source Awareness. Life then is so-far-ing. Think about a safari. It's a journey into the wild untamed wilderness. So to look at life as suffering is to be on consciousness safari - which is so-farring from home - suffering.

It's not so much about pain as it is about the journey. Pain is just one experiential element among many on our human-life journey. There are lots of metaphors to be made about a safari - like facing the beasts that inhabit our mental landscape and all the trials of such a journey in the wilderness of ignorance about our origin.

The first Noble Truth is life is dukkha. Dukkha is suffering, but deeper than that...it is discontent and dissatisfaction. Most people are discontent or dissatisfied that they become sick from time time (and not happy when they are sick)...also that they will die and while alive people they care about will die. Dukkha...or suffering...manifests as anxiety and fear. Many people struggle with anxiety and fear on a daily basis. Also, guilt is a form of dukkha.

We aren't happy when we don't have something that we want...and even if we get it, we aren't happy because it will not last (we are afraid of it becoming damaged, lost, stolen, etc.) Often as soon as we get what we want, we find something else that we want...and so in getting what we want - it is never enough. A form or manifestation of dukkha is inadequacy, incompleteness, and lack. We are truly never happy with what is as it is.

The first Noble Truth is very accurate...life is full of dukkha (prior to awakening, enlightenment, nirvana, or whatever term you want to give it).
However, there is the third Noble Truth that dukkha can end...the cessation of suffering is possible.